A key operation-assisting apparatus for improving the operation efficiency of an operator who is not skillful in operating of data-inputting keys is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application, Laid-Open, 2000-66816. In the information inputting apparatus mentioned in this prior art, data outputted from a keyboard state-detecting circuit for detecting which of keys on a keyboard is touched or pushed down by a finger of the operator is superposed on the other data outputted from a display-controlling circuit, and all data are simultaneously displayed on the display.
According to the aforementioned information-inputting apparatus, since the operator can observe the state of the keyboard which is superposed on the scene on the display in the practical business, the operator who is not yet skillful in operating keys can be effectively trained in the practical business.
At present, it is complicated to input a long data composed of many characters through an information-inputting apparatus in which the number of the keys is limited, such as a cellular phone.
Now that the cellular telephone is expected to be developed remarkably as a data terminal and to fulfil a function of transmitting the long data composed of several thousands of characters or numerals in the near future, the aforementioned conventional information-inputting apparatus does not meet the future demand. Accordingly, it is earnestly desired to develop a highly efficient method for inputting information into an apparatus in which the number of the key is limited.
In the method for inputting information used at present, since the user must seek for a desired key, decide to input information assigned to the key, and confirm a character or a numeral to be inputted on the display, the operation becomes troublesome. If the user becomes skillful in operating the keys, he can input information in a blind touch watching the display, but misses will occur frequently.